AAPA and NCCPA Partner to Raise Public Awareness of PA Profession

The American Academy of PAs (AAPA) and the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) have partnered to raise public awareness of the PA profession by funding a nationwide advertising campaign. NCCPA has contributed $500,000 to this joint effort, matching funding approved by AAPA’s Board of Directors.

This joint effort coincides with the start of PA Week, recognized every year from October 6-12, when PAs are celebrated for their contributions to the nation’s health.

“PAs deliver high-quality, cost efficient, patient-centered medical care nationwide and are a vital solution to many of today’s health care challenges,” said Jonathan E. Sobel, DMSc, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA, FAPACVS, president and chair of the AAPA Board of Directors. “AAPA’s Board of Directors recognized the importance of raising the public awareness of PAs as we work to modernize PA practice laws across the country. We would like to sincerely thank NCCPA for joining our effort.”

Advertising begins next week with a half-page advertisement in USA Today, along with 60 newspapers in the USA Today Network in communities nationwide. Additional ads, which will be appearing into 2019, are part of AAPA’s public awareness campaign launched earlier this year—Your PA Can Handle It™. The campaign includes an integrated mix of video, print, radio, and digital components.

PAs are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal health care provider. With thousands of hours of medical training, PAs practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, improving health care access and quality.

There are more than 123,000 certified PAs currently practicing in the United States and the profession is projected to increase 37 percent from 2016 to 2026–significantly faster than average for all occupations.

“NCCPA is proud to collaborate with AAPA to double our efforts and focus attention on the amazing contributions that PAs are making to health care,” said Paul Lombardo, MPS, PA-C Emeritus and NCCPA Board Chair. “This is a timely opportunity to work together to increase the public’s awareness and elevate the dialogue about PAs and the broad range of services and high-quality care they provide.”

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About the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for physician assistants (PAs) in the United States. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. There are more than 123,000 certified PAs in the U.S. today. NCCPA also administers the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) program for experienced certified PAs practicing in seven specialties. For more information about certified PAs, visit http://www.nccpa.net.

About the American Academy of PAsAAPA is the national organization that advocates for all PAs and provides tools to improve PA practice and patient care. Founded in 1968, AAPA represents a profession of more than 123,000 PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories and the uniformed services. Visit www.aapa.org to learn more.AAPA news